Undone

Over a year ago (I say over because I’m pretty sure it was much longer than a year and I simply can’t recall the real timeline) I began painting my kitchen. A wall cabinet had fallen and broken leaving a huge unpainted white spot on the top of the wall. I couldn’t match the color that was up so I opted for a full color change. It wasn’t a huge color change, really only a tone difference and you really couldn’t even tell because the kitchen was fully put together and decorated in spite of it.

The color I had originally painted worked well for the years I had gold, reds, and richer tones decorating my home. At that time I was changing my decor to a lighter cooler palette and the gold tan just didn’t mesh well, so a new paint was in order. I remember when I went to find the right color tone, it was a challenge! I made sure to use high-quality paint and went to a source that gave me the best options for what I was trying to achieve. It took about 6 samples until I found the one that was not too light, not too dark, not too grey… well you get it.

Through this several day process, I factored in my curtains, living room decor, tiles, lighting, and all that could influence the color. When I found the match I used EVERY SINGLE DROP of that sample, only to cover 1/5 of my kitchen. I immediately went and bought a gallon of the new color to make sure I had everything I needed to finish the job.

The paint I so diligently searched for, tested and tried had life interrupt it and it sat there….. and sat there….why? because the urgency of the transformation was waning. I guess on some level I felt I was “done” because I had gone through the hard work to seek, try, and find what I was needing for the transformation. Even though the huge white spot that initiated the need for color was still showing, in my subconscious, it was “complete” because I had all the tools for the work, yet it remained undone.

Because the color and change in the rest of the room was so subtle, it went by unnoticed by others, even by the people that live here. Most people either didn’t notice or just didn’t say anything if they did. Maybe they didn’t feel it was their place? or maybe the difference wasn’t offensive to their eyes, so they just didn’t “see it”.

How many times have we done this in our lives?Gone through the hard work to change our attitudes, learn leadership skills, or undergo processes that are refining and then just left the application of it “undone”. When we leave processes undone, even though we have gone through the “hard work”, it’s pretty much useless. Even if the change is subtle and unoffensive, it is still incomplete.

So now, I pull everything down(again), making a huge mess(or so it seems) and work on applying the subtle yet noticeable changes that need to be applied.

It will come with ANOTHER process of rolling, trimming, and painting. Being diligent in making sure that I cover the spots I missed that can only be seen in pure sunlight, until completion.

Then I will clean the hidden places, clearing out the cobwebs and dead things that were unseen; to finally finish it up with the “pretty stuff” that everyone sees and admires. These “pretties” may be replaced with something new or may not be in the same place they were before. So that this “undone” transformation can become a new complete transformation due to the application of what was left undone.

I challenge you to stop and take a look at your “comfortable”.

<- (This was where my hug white spot was for years due to the cabinet breaking.) Look and see if you have left anything undone that needs the application process applied. We yearn to learn, strive to grow and understand, yet do we apply what we have worked so hard at?

During this time be vigilant not to just do the hard work but to apply it unto completion.
We must take the time to apply life lessons and just let life happen. Even if they are subtle and no one seems to notice. Take the time to tear apart what seems to be complete and finish a process. Leave nothing left undone and bringing forth the NEW..the beautiful..and the complete.